Empire Flippers Podcast Justin Cooke and Joe Magnotti

Shopify is a powerhouse in the eCommerce industry, with merchants running more than 1,000,000 businesses on the platform.
But Shopify is more than just a product listing tool. It offers thousands of apps and integrations to help you build a profitable eCommerce business.
In this episode, we’re joined by Chris Singleton, the founder of Style Factory Productions, a site that provides in-depth reviews and comparisons of key business apps to hundreds of thousands of readers.
Chris reveals the ‘hidden’ Shopify features that many merchants overlook.
From Shopify’s SEO tools and blogging features to its free email marketing tool and abandon cart feature, Shopify has a full toolkit to help you grow your business beyond a simple eCommerce store.
Chris also highlights the power of YouTube for eCommerce sellers. According to Chris,
“YouTube is a key SEO strategy for Shopify merchants. The benefit is that you're dealing with two search engines because your video appears in the Google search results and on YouTube. The quickest SEO win at the moment is publishing content on third-party platforms like YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn, etc, and using that platform to drive traffic back to your store.”
If you're an eCommerce seller, then this is an episode you don’t want to miss!
Topics Discussed in This Episode: The most common pain points Shopify merchants face (02:15) Why Shopify merchants tend to focus on paid ads over traditional SEO (03:40) Why eCommerce SEO is easier than affiliate SEO (05:43) Quick SEO wins for Shopify (09:45) Hidden Shopify features that many merchants aren’t aware of (12:23)  Shopify’s free email marketing tool (18:18) Creating an effective abandon cart structure in Shopify (22:25) Integrating apps into your Shopify store and which apps you should use (27:03) Why merchants should choose Shopify over other eCommerce platforms (29:44) How Chris has seen eCommerce evolve in the last 10 years (31:47) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to our weekly newsletter Style Factory Chris’s LinkedIn  Podcast about scarcity and behavioral marketing Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to take your eCommerce business to the next level with Shopify’s integrated apps and tools.

Selling a business for millions of dollars is a dream that many entrepreneurs chase, but only a lucky few ever achieve.

Oliver Palmer is one of those entrepreneurs. He founded a mobile technology business and sold it for an impressive $85 million.

In this episode, Oliver takes us behind the scenes of his multi-million dollar exit. From the disappointments of a failed acquisition to the high of finding the perfect buyer.

He also explains the many benefits of using an advisor during an exit. According to Oliver,
“The best thing we did when selling our business was engage an advisor. It allowed us to position ourselves in front of acquirers we'd never even heard of. An advisor also brings legal advice and puts the sale together in a way that’s ideal for a buyer. If everything's all lined up, it's so much easier to get to a yes. You can't put a price on that.”
Oliver also reveals the common problem his new firm, DQ Ventures solves by helping entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses from scratch without risking their day jobs.

Whether you're a budding entrepreneur with a big idea or an experienced business owner aiming for a major exit, this episode has something for you. Enjoy!
Topics Discussed in This Episode: Oliver’s background and how he founded his venture studio  (02:19) A behind-the-scenes look at Oliver’s $85 million exit (03:48) The benefits of using an advisor or broker when exiting a business (14:59) The big thing that surprises entrepreneurs when exiting a business (19:53) How Oliver’s life changed after his multi-million dollar exit (24:31) What Oliver’s venture studio offers to startup entrepreneurs (28:13) The criteria Oliver looks for in a business to fund (37:50) The deal structure that Oliver offers startup companies he helps build (42:19) Oliver’s take on the secret to starting a successful business (51:20) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to our weekly newsletter DQ Ventures Oliver’s LinkedIn Profile James Green’s LinkedIn Profile Sit back, grab a coffee, and get a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to sell an $85 million business!

Expanding into omnichannel sales is a great way to grow your eCommerce business, but it also results in a more complicated supply chain.
That’s why working with a logistics partner who has their finger on the pulse of the industry is so important. 
In this episode, we chat with Taylor Smits, co-founder of MyFBAPrep, the largest Amazon prep and eCommerce fulfillment network in the US.
Taylor joins us to explain how to optimize your supply chain without hindering growth and expansion.
He outlines the common logistics pain points Amazon sellers face, how to ace your inventory forecasting, and how to remove redundancies in your supply chain to boost your bottom line.
Taylor also reveals the best growth opportunities emerging in the eCommerce industry today. According to Taylor, 
“We're seeing a halo effect from TikTok shop. For every sale you make on TikTok shop, you can assume two or three increased sales on Amazon, because people go to Amazon to check if the brand is legitimate. Now, you can use your FBA inventory to fulfill TikTok. That's one more reason to get on TikTok as a seller and get that halo effect.”
Whether you sell on one platform or many, this episode is packed with practical tips to help you streamline your logistics and grow your eCommerce business.
Topics Discussed in This Episode: A brief overview of MyFBAPrep and its origins (01:58) How the Airbnb model of logistics works (05:39) The common supply chain bottlenecks for Amazon sellers (15:20) The current state of Amazon fees (19:48) How TikTok Shop is shaking up the eCommerce industry (25:26) The core pillars of an optimized supply chain (31:29) The best approach to inventory forecasting (36:53) The easiest way to boost your bottom line (42:21) An inside look at Taylor’s Preptopia platform (47:09) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to our weekly newsletter MyFBAPrep Podcast with Roland Frazier Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to optimize your eCommerce logistics to boost your bottom line!

Most digital agency owners start their own businesses to be their own bosses and have more control over their time.
However, they often find themselves overwhelmed with sales calls and meetings, working harder than ever.
After falling prey to this pitfall himself, Frankie Fihn noticed that most sales calls and meetings follow the same script, with clients asking the same questions over and over.
To solve the problem, Frankie created a system of pre-recorded videos that address common questions and issues that clients raise, eliminating the need for most meetings.
In this episode, Frankie joins us to explain his framework for a phoneless, meetingless digital agency.
Frankie highlights common obstacles agency owners face and shares the key steps they need to take to stop trading time for money. According to Frankie,
“A common pain point agency owners struggle with is being too wide. They believe anybody with a credit card is a good fit. This dilutes both your messaging and your ability to deliver at scale because you're just doing too much. Just because you can do it for everybody doesn't mean you should.”
By renting out their services, most agency owners are the product. Instead, they should create leverageable assets out of their existing tools and systems.
This mindset shift will save you time and allow you to grow your agency exponentially.
If you want to learn how to create a streamlined and profitable digital agency without being tethered to a phone, then this episode is for you.
Topics Discussed in This Episode: Frankie's background and his approach to building an agency (02:00) The common pain points agency owners experience (04:00) The importance of streamlining your work and building repeatable systems (10:27) How Frankie automates sales calls (13:41) Frankie’s tips on tasks that should and shouldn’t take up your time in an agency (27:07) Identifying when to use white-label partners to help you grow (32:57) When to outsource and when to bring services in-house (39:19) The key to not trading time for money (48:10) The best piece of business advice Frankie has ever received (1:01:29) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to our weekly newsletter Beyond the Agency Box (Frankie’s book) Beyond Agency Profits Facebook Community Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to build a phoneless, meetingless digital marketing agency!

When running an online business it’s easy to fall prey to the mindset that everything should happen online.
But sometimes, to really grow your online business, you need to step away from the screen and connect with people face-to-face.
Take Steven Khanna, for example. He’s the Head of English Markets at White Press, a global link-building and marketing agency. Steven used in-person networking to skyrocket his success, generating over $500K per month for White Press.

In this episode, Steven shares how attending conferences and actively networking played a crucial role in his success.

Attending just one conference helped Steven grow his monthly recurring revenue (MRR) from $5K to $50K!

Steven also dives into the important role that link-building plays in a modern SEO strategy. According to Steven,
“People keep saying that links are not an important ranking factor, but if you look at the backlink profiles of big, successful websites, they’re still building links. Even in troubled times, link-building will never lose its value. Links will always be one of the most important ranking factors for driving traffic and leads.”
Steven goes on to provide useful tips, tricks, and advice on how to optimize your link-building to ensure you are generating the right kind of traffic.
This conversation with Steven shows the power of adaptability and perseverance in online business. It’s a reminder that it’s never too late to make your mark!
Topics Discussed in This Episode: An introduction to White Press and its rapid growth (02:46) Steven’s background and how he ended up in SEO (05:49) The benefits of international expansion (12:26) Behavioral differences across different countries and cultures (17:33) How Steven builds trust with his clients (22:04) The important role conferences play in Steven’s acquisition strategy (29:23) How Steven uses affiliates to grow White Press (41:50) The most common myths people believe about link building (50:53) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to our weekly newsletter White Press Senuto Steven’s LinkedIn Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn the power of in-person networking and the importance of link-building in modern SEO!

There are roughly 88,000 digital marketing agencies in the US and Hawke Media is the fastest-growing amongst them.
What is the secret sauce to this kind of growth?
Well, according to Erik Huberman, Hawke’s founder and CEO, it all boils down to working harder than everyone else and actually delivering on your promises.
In this episode, Erik walks us through the origin story of Hawke Media, from its almost accidental beginnings, to how he scaled the business to its current value of over $150 million.
He reveals the challenges he faced while growing the business, how he sustains Hawke’s rapid growth, and how he motivates his team to keep innovating. According to Erik,
“Most people won't push themselves to the limit versus getting pushed. That’s why every major athlete wants a coach and trainer. It's not like Kobe didn't know how to do a workout. But having that outside push and that outside perspective is really helpful. And as the owner of the business, that extra push has to come from you."
Erik also sheds light on one of his key growth strategies; acquiring other agencies. He explains the benefits of this strategy, and how he integrates those agencies and their owners into Hawke’s existing ecosystem.
If you’re looking for first-hand knowledge on how to scale an agency to a 9-figure valuation, then look no further.

Topics Discussed in This Episode: Erik’s background and what led him to create Hawke Media (02:05) What Erik did to help Hawke Media become the fastest-growing consultancy (10:02) How Erik sustains his agency’s rapid growth (14:30) The biggest challenges Erik faced when growing Hawke Media (16:23) Why Erik started acquiring other agencies (20:11) There’s always a deal to be made (27:46) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to our weekly newsletter  Hawke Media Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn what it takes to scale your digital agency to the moon.